A database of local government salaries and compensation compiled by state Controller John Chiang's office shows just how out of whack pay for some California police and firefighters has become in the state's largest cities.

-- In San Francisco, a deputy chief earning $250,666 a year collected more than half a million dollars when he retired in 2009.

-- In San Jose, nine of the top 10 earners were Police or Fire Department employees. None made less than $275,000.

-- In Oakland, a police officer whose listed salary ceiling was $98,000 a year was paid $245,432.

The data collected by Chiang's office, from cities large and small, show some police and fire departments devouring local public dollars.

In Oakland, the starting pay for police officers - $70,044.96 - is higher than most other police jobs in the state.

It's no wonder Oakland can no longer afford to keep a minimum force of 832 officers and was forced to lay off 80 officers last year. This year's budget deficit is $46 million.

The case of the Oakland police officer who earned $245,432 isn't an anomaly.

According to the figures in Chiang's database, Oakland police officers and firefighters constituted 440 of the city's 500 highest-paid employees in 2009.

Chiang's public accounting was prompted by the scandal in the Los Angeles County city of Bell last year, where some city officials collected outrageous salaries: The city manager got nearly $800,000 a year, and the police chief was paid $457,000 a year.

"The purpose of this site is to make the information readily available to local taxpayers to let them know what they are paying for services," said Jacob Roper, a spokesman for Chiang's office.

But as handsomely as Oakland police officers are compensated, the city's firefighters have an even sweeter deal.

Oakland firefighters are protected by a contract with the city that ensures no layoffs, minimum staff requirements aboard fire trucks and no station closures.

"We're bad, but they're worse," said one Oakland police officer who would not be identified.

In the Oakland Fire Department, lieutenants and captains whose pay starts around $117,000 and $127,000 respectively can also earn overtime pay, which allows them to bump up their annual salaries - and pensions when they retire.

It's difficult to fault union leaders for negotiating the best deal they can for their membership. That's their job, and in Oakland, they have succeeded beyond their wildest expectations.

City officials are expected to negotiate in good faith, manage city finances and represent the public, but instead they have done everything but give away the farm.

Over the years, the elected leadership has not held the line in its labor negotiations. They have virtually handed over precious and limited financial resources not knowing how the city would meet those obligations.

Last Tuesday's council meeting offered a prime example.

The discussion focused on how the city would make a $40 million pension payment for a group of police and firefighter pensioners who retired 35 years ago.

The city had agreed to a retirement plan that provided pensions that amounted to two-thirds of police and firefighters' current salaries.

But rather than attack the spiraling cost of current police and firefighters' salaries, council member Ignacio De La Fuente proposed an annual 2 percent cap on the old system's retiree benefits.

That's backward thinking.

If the council had the gumption to address the lopsided police and firefighters' salaries that have brought the city to the verge of financial ruin, pension payments to retirees would automatically be reduced.

Unfortunately, city officials have chosen once more to come hat in hand to Oakland residents asking for more tax dollars to cover their inability to manage the city's shrinking fiscal resources.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is involved in ongoing discussions with the Oakland Police Officers Association, but union President Dom Arotzarena declined to offer details. If Quan truly wants to engineer a turnaround and secure the city's fiscal future, restructuring the city's public safety pay scale must be a priority.

Federal officials are focused on reducing domestic spending, and Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed a major restructuring in state services to save money. It's time for Oakland officials to do the same with its public safety costs because they are unsustainable.

To see the state controller's database on salaries and compensation in cities and counties, go to links.sfgate.com/ZKXD